At the 2017 Global Mobile Broadband Forum, Huawei and the University of Edinburgh signed a research cooperation to investigate the potential for AI robotics systems to operate over next generation 5G wireless networks.

Researchers at Huawei’s Wireless X Labs and University of Edinburgh’s new Bayes Centre will investigate together how AI systems can inform and adapt wireless 5G networks to provide optimum wireless support to meet the needs of connected robotics and systems. Areas of initial focus include healthcare robotics and mobile video.

The project will build on the University of Edinburgh’s existing research into AI and autonomous systems to provide new insights into how these systems will use AI to collaborate with mobile broadband networks. This can enhance the performance of both networks and applications to enable greater levels of interaction between people and systems. This new research project extends the existing relationship between Huawei and the University of Edinburgh following the announcement in June of a joint lab hosted at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics.

This new research cooperation was signed by Peter Zhou, Chief Marketing Officer, Huawei Wireless Solution, and Professor Charlie Jeffery, Senior Vice Principal, University of Edinburgh.

This new research cooperation was signed by Peter Zhou, chief marketing officer, Huawei Wireless Solution, and professor Charlie Jeffery, senior vice principal, University of Edinburgh. Also in attendance were professor Jon Oberlander, assistant principal data technology, who has joined the Advisory Committee of Huawei’s Wireless X Labs, and Mr. David Richardson, director of Partnerships for the Bayes Centre.

Professor Charlie Jeffery said, “We are thrilled to have deepened our relationship with Huawei to researching 5G within AI applications. Our ambition is to utilise the knowledge of our world-leading experts to fully understand the interaction of AI and robotics systems with mobile networks. This new research agreement gives our team the opportunity to apply their 5G networking expertise into solving real-world problems – helping to transform industries including healthcare and emergency services.”

Peter Zhou at Huawei said: “We are delighted to continue working with the world-leading team at the University of Edinburgh to help understand how improvements within mobile broadband can foster innovation within wireless robotics systems. AI is a key feature of 5G networking, and we are excited to deepen our understanding of how the interaction between applications and networks can create new benefits and enhancements.”